The End May Be Farther Than You Think: End Time Prophecy and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ

By Jack Uresk

Is it possible that:

The earth will be devastated by objects from space prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ?

There may be a considerable length of time, perhaps decades, between the first signs of the coming of the Lord and the actual descent?

The four horsemen of the apocalypse have no relationship to the last days?

Armageddon will be the greatest battle never fought?

There may be more than one coming of Christ?

Everyone will be left behind because there will be no pre-tribulation rapture?

Weve already missed the Great Tribulation?

This book explores these and other possibilities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781449717285

Jack Uresk

Jack Uresk earned Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in geology from BYU. He worked as a petroleum geologist with Conoco for 14 years and is presently with Barlow and Haun Geologists, Inc and R & R Rest Stops, Inc. He and his wife Masayo have eight children.

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Copyright © 2011 Jack Uresk

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-1729-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1730-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1728-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011929103

Printed in the United States of America

WestBow Press rev. date: 7/27/2011

Contents

Preface

Chapter 1: The Book With the Seven Seals

The Great Gathering

The Book

Chapter 2: The First Five Seals are Opened

The First Seal Is Opened

The Second Seal Is Opened

The Third Seal Is Opened

The Fourth Seal Is Opened

The Fifth Seal Is Opened

Overview of the Seals

Chapter 3: The Sixth Seal is Opened

Events of Nature

A Supernatural Event

A Lull Before the Storm

Chapter 4: Before the Seventh Seal

Sealing the Servants of God

The Ten Tribes of Israel

The Covenant People of the Lord

The Multitude

Chapter 5: The Models

Defining the Models

Events of Nature Model

Acts of Man Model

Space Alien Model

The Symbolic Model

The Theological Model

Which Model Is Right?

Chapter 6: The Seventh Seal is Opened

Sounding of the Trumpets

The Sounds of the Trumpets

The First Trumpet

The Second and Third Trumpets

The Fourth Trumpet

The Fifth Trumpet

The Sixth Trumpet

The Judgments of God

Chapter 7: The Prophecy Continues

A Mighty Angel

The Temple

The Two Witnesses

The Woman and the Dragon

Satan is Cast Out

Chapter 8: The Beasts

The First Beast

The Second Beast

The Antichrist

The Prince and the Mahdi

Expectations and Surprises

Chapter 9: More Than One Coming of Christ?

Problems Resolved, Problems Raised

Savior or Antichrist

Foreheads and Hands

A Purpose for Each Visit

Chapter 10: The Seven Last Plagues

Reaping the Earth

One Sequence or Two?

Preparation for Armageddon

Gog and Magog

Preliminary Destruction of the Seventh Vial

Chapter 11: Babylon

A Comparison of the Two Women

The Beast

Destruction of Babylon

Flee Babylon

Chapter 12: The Coming of Christ

The Marriage of the Lamb

The Descent of Christ

Armageddon: The Greatest Battle Never Fought

The Marriage Supper

Chapter 13: After the Coming of Christ

Satan is Bound

Thrones

The Millennium

The End of Satan

The Great White Throne

The Judgment

The New Heaven and Earth

The New Jerusalem

The Pearly Gates

Life in the Holy City

Living Water

For the Time is at Hand

The Spirit and the Bride

The Message and Messenger

Chapter 14: Sequence and Timing

Framework of the Record

Relationship of Events

The Hierarchal Sequence

Timing

One Year, One Month, One Day, One Hour

1260 Days

Months, Days, and Times

Other Time Periods

Duration of the Plagues Summary

This Generation

Using the Seals as Guideposts

The Beginning of the End

Chapter 15: Tribulation and Abomination

The Great Tribulation

The Tribulation of Those Days

The Abomination of Desolation

The Days of Noah and Lot

Seventy Weeks of Daniel

Chapter 16: The Rapture

When?

The Last Trump

A Voice and a Shout

The Great Gathering

The Woman on the Wings of an Eagle

Firstfruits

The Harvest

The Temple Is Closed

The Dead in Christ

The Thief

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

The Great Tribulation

The Gathering of the Elect

The Parable of the Fig Tree

Clouds of Glory

Noah and Lot

Seventy Weeks of Daniel

Daniel and the Saints of the Most High

Absence of the Church

Wrath and Tribulation

Summary

Rapture Checkpoints

Chapter 17: A Review of the Basic Scenario

Basic Scenario

The Seals

The Sixth and Seventh Seals

The First Six Trumpets

Surviving the First Six Trumpets

The Vials

Following the Second Coming

Speculation

Chapter 18: Examples and Warnings

The Sermon of the Skies

A Comparison with the Exodus

Wheat and Tares

The Example of the Ten Virgins

The Situation of the Saints

The Lesson of the Seven Churches

The Representatives of God

Old Testament Prophets as a Comfort

Chapter 19: Preparation

Why Prepare?

Physical Preparation

Mental Preparation

Patience

Beyond Preparation

Be Not Deceived

The Still Small Voice

Selected References

Preface

We live in the dispensation of the fullness of times, a time when all the purposes of God will be fulfilled prior to the return of Jesus Christ. To guide us through this critical period, the Lord has provided scriptures for our learning and benefit. The Revelation of Saint John the Divine is the most important of the many scriptural records which provide a glimpse into the end times because it provides the framework into which all other prophecies can be incorporated. This study is an attempt to provide an understanding of the prophecy of John that will be of benefit to those who will live to see the things of which he speaks.

This study was done in four stages in an attempt to develop such an understanding. In the first stage, The Revelation of Saint John the Divine was evaluated verse by verse to determine what John was saying. In the second stage, each verse was interpreted to determine what he meant, with an attempt to get as many reasonable interpretations as possible. In the third stage, these interpretations were compared, evaluated and assigned to a number of possible scenarios. In the fourth stage, the most likely interpretations and scenarios were chosen. Where appropriate, additional scriptures dealing with the coming of the Lord were employed to clarify, corroborate, and amplify the work of John. The King James Version of the Bible was used except where noted otherwise.

Thanks to Andrew Brown who provided the impetus for this project when he sold me a copy of Worlds In Collision for 10 cents at a garage sale. Thanks to Sunday School students Heidi, Joseph, Adrienne, Everett, Keegan, Seth, and Justin who encouraged me to keep the project going. The things that are mistaken or boring are mine, the true and beautiful are the Lord’s.

Chapter 1

The Book With the Seven Seals

The Great Gathering

The vision of John regarding future events begins in Chapter Four of The Revelation of Saint John the Divine. At this time John is shown a great gathering before the throne of God. It is important to understand this critical point in John’s record since it is our beginning point. If you’re taking a plane trip, you need to know the destination and the beginning point in order to determine the direction to travel. In the same way, we need to know where John is starting in order to put the work in context.

Any interpretation which places this gathering at a time other than John’s time must provide scriptural evidence to support such an interpretation. It is not sufficient to say that it must immediately precede the events depicted by the seals, trumps, and vials which are shown to those assembled at the great gathering. These events are shown to those assembled before the throne as the seals of the book are broken at this great gathering, and could be scenes of things transpiring concurrently with the great gathering, records of the recent or distant past, or prophecies of the near or distant future. In other words, the seals, trumps, and vials are visions within a vision and may therefore have a setting different from the gathering itself.

There are, therefore, two separate issues to be resolved. One is the setting of the great gathering. The other is the setting of the events shown by the opening of the seals at the great gathering. A number of possible interpretations were considered, including a gathering at the time of John, a gathering just prior to the events of the last days, a gathering at the beginning of the millennium, and a gathering at the end of the world. Of the interpretations evaluated, a gathering at the end of the world associated with the judgment appears to best fit the available data.

2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. (Rev. 4: 2-5)

At the beginning of the vision, John is shown one sitting upon a throne in heaven. We are not told who is sitting on the throne, but from the descriptions which follow, this would appear to be God the Father, who receives glory and honor from those assembled around the throne (Rev. 7: 10). The power and majesty of God are manifested by the lightnings and thunderings and voices proceeding from the throne.

Heaven can mean many things. It can mean the atmosphere, the expanse of space, the place where God now dwells, the final dwelling place of the saints, etc. For the purpose of this discussion, it might be appropriate to limit it to two choices. The first option would be heaven-the present dwelling place of God and the angels. The second option would be heaven-the final dwelling place of the saints. If the first option is chosen, it would be possible to place this scene in heaven at any point in time prior to or following John’s time, although it would be most likely to have occurred at the time of John. If the second option is chosen, this scene must occur following the millennium, when the saints are assigned their place in heaven.

There is little solid evidence to support either interpretation, so the choice is very subjective. For those who like to interpret green as the earth color, the emerald rainbow ties these events to the earth. The sea of glass like unto crystal before the throne is similar to the description of the Holy City, heaven, or final dwelling place of the saints following the judgment. These two points provide some support for the heaven-the final dwelling place of the saints interpretation. A comparison of the description of the sea of glass at the great gathering with two verses describing the New Jerusalem, or final abode of the saints, shows the similarity.

6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. (Rev. 4: 6)

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. (Rev. 21: 18, 21)

This similarity is striking, but does not necessarily confirm a relationship since a floor of transparent golden glass would not necessarily be limited to the Holy City. It is possible that the streets of heaven where God at present resides are made of golden glass. It is important to note, however, that the references to the great gathering (Rev. 4: 6, 15: 2) and the Holy City (Rev. 21: 18, 21) provide the only mention of golden transparent glass in the bible, so the possible relationship cannot be lightly ignored.

The throne itself provides a possible link in that the great white throne mentioned in conjunction with the judgment (Rev. 20: 11) might be the throne of the opening scenes of John’s vision (Rev. 4: 2). Obviously, this is not the only time or place where the throne of God might be seen, but does provide a reasonable possibility.

It is possible to show additional support for a gathering at the judgment or after the end of the earth by analyzing the other elements of this opening scene of John’s vision. Around the throne are twenty-four seats, or thrones, and upon the seats are twenty-four elders having crowns upon their heads. Although the significance of the number twenty-four is somewhat speculative, it would be possible to interpret it to be a representation of the twelve patriarchs of the Old Testament and the twelve apostles of the New Testament. This would indicate completeness in that both those of the old covenant and those of the new covenant are represented. This would mean that all the saints of all ages are represented at this gathering if this symbolism is accepted. These twenty-four elders are mentioned in subsequent verses.

10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 Thou art worthy, O lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Rev. 4: 10-11)

Casting the crowns before the throne is intriguing. It would seem that crowns would be received, not returned. The act of casting the crowns before the throne by the twenty-four elders provides an indication that this is a view of part of the final judgment rather than a preliminary judgment at the beginning of the millennium or earlier. If it is assumed that the crowns are a symbol of authority, the possession of these crowns by the twenty-four elders indicates that they had been given authority to rule. This would correspond to the authority given to those who live and reign with Christ during the millennium. Returning the crowns to the Lord at the final judgment would be symbolic of their willingness to acknowledge that all power and honor rest with the Father and the Son, and a recognition that they have ruled at the will of the Lord during the millennium, not because of their own worthiness. If this scene were from the beginning of the millennium or some prior time, crowns would be received, not returned. It is clear from the following verse that there are those who are to reign with Christ during the millennium.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Rev. 20: 6)

Placing the great gathering after the millennium provides a good fit with this verse since they could have received the crowns at the beginning of the millennium, ruled with Christ for a thousand years on the earth, and now have reassembled at the end of the world, or judgment time, for a final accounting. At this point, in recognition of the fact that they have ruled at the will and pleasure of God and the Lamb, they gladly cast their crowns before the throne, signifying that they are returning their crowns because all right, power, and majesty to rule belong to the Father and the Son.

At first glance, it might appear that returning the crowns at this point would be inconsistent with Rev. 5: 10 which indicates that reigning is yet ahead. This seeming inconsistency would be resolved, however, by the future opportunity to reign yet again under the Father and Son as described for the eternity following the final judgment.

10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. (Rev. 5: 10)

5 …and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Rev. 22: 5)

It would appear that they reign with Christ during the millennium, return the crowns to the rightful holder of all crowns, but then once again receive crowns to reign again in the eternal world. In a sense, reigning with Christ during the millennium could be a practice run which prepares them for the responsibilities and challenges of reigning in the eternities. The opening vision of John has as its main focus the honor and worship of God and the Lamb. Returning the crowns is part of that worship and honor. Later, in Rev. 7, honor is also given to those who merit it. This might include the final reception of crowns although such is not mentioned by John. In addition to the twenty-four elders, this description might be appropriately extended to include all of the saints since Rev. 20: 4 and Rev. 22: 1-6 imply a more general application.

The Book

1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. (Rev. 5: 1)

There is a book in the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. Stop for a moment and visualize this scene. I generally see the backside or side view of a throne with a book in the hand of an arm extended past the arm rest, and for some reason, it’s usually the left arm and not the right. I see only the arm, not the one sitting on the throne. Perhaps this is because it is difficult to visualize a personage with a glory and brilliance that John compares to that of precious stones. One does not lightly gaze upon God in all his glory and majesty. Such a view is beyond mortal comprehension and in our present state would strike terror to our hearts, as witnessed by Isaiah when he saw the Lord.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. (Is. 6: 5)

The focus of subsequent verses is upon the book in the right hand of God. The many possible interpretations for this book include the likelihood that it is one of the books mentioned at the time of the judgment.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Rev. 20: 12)

The book is received from the one sitting on the throne, so it probably represents a heavenly record, not an earthly record. Since it is written within and on the backside, it appears to be full or complete. The seals further indicate that there is nothing more allowed to be added. When the book is received by the Lamb, as described later, the imagery would fit the old saying, signed, sealed, and delivered which is an expression of finality. This supports an interpretation that this is a history of the earth from the time of Adam to the end of the millennium. In other words, it is a finished, complete record of man and God’s dealings with man.

It is significant that no man was found worthy to open the seals. If the book were to contain a prophetic vision of the future, it would be given to John, since it is his calling to prophesy of the events of the last days. This is clearly illustrated by a subsequent event.

8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. (Rev. 10: 8-11)

In this later instance, John receives a book from the hand of an angel with a charge to eat it and prophesy again. A similar experience is recorded by Ezekiel (Ezek. 2: 9-10, 3: 1-4). It would appear that eating a book from a heavenly source prepares one to then deliver the words of the book to the world. Had the book sealed with the seven seals contained a prophetic mission for John, it would have been given to him. But it was not given to John, nor could any man open it or look upon it. Therefore, the book cannot contain a prophetic vision to be delivered by John or anyone else.

A more reasonable interpretation, therefore, is that the book mentioned in Rev. 5 corresponds to one of the books mentioned in association with the judgment (Rev. 20: 12) and represents a record or history of the earth from the beginning to the end, documenting the acts of men and the power and condescension of God. From the description of the opening of the seals yet to be presented in The Revelation, it would seem that the book has been produced in a DVD version as well, with everything shown on that great video screen in the sky. Considering the size of the audience, a high definition screen ten or even one hundred miles square might be needed.

What a glorious opportunity for all of us to see the stories we read in the Bible or secular history. We can watch Daniel, Joseph, David, and all the other great men of the Bible. We can watch Martin Luther, George Washington, Socrates, and all the great men of history. Perhaps we will all be witnesses to the ministry of the Savior and the great atoning sacrifice of the Lamb of God. We will be able to watch the lives of our ancestors unfold and understand how their lives and sacrifices influenced our own life and situation. Many will see the lives of their posterity and see how their own life influenced the lives of later generations. It will also be a great opportunity to see the invisible hand of God as it played a part in the lives of men. Perhaps we will see all of those unseen and unknown miracles from which we benefitted without ever knowing.

But some of us might not be as eager to watch the record unfold as others because we will have figured out that if we get to see the lives of others, eventually everyone else will get to see our life as well. And Aunt Clara is going to find out who really broke her favorite crystal serving bowl! Hopefully, there may be blanks in the record for those things for which we have repented and been forgiven. For some, there might be more blank than story, but blank is good because it would be a witness of repentance and coming to Christ.

This will also be a point at which we will learn about those who have wronged us as well. We will learn the motives and reasons for the wrongs committed. Perhaps some will be eagerly waiting for the scenes that will show how they were wronged by others. But this will be a time when we will also learn whether we have truly forgiven someone or not; for as the record approaches that point in the life of the one who has wronged us, if we have truly and completely forgiven them, we will be silently praying, Please don’t show it. Please don’t show it.

This will be a time of joy and sorrow, of nostalgia and regret, of understanding and surprise. Above all, it will be a time of love. There will be love for family and friends, for those with whom we shared experiences, and for those who passed through our life like a shadow, leaving an influence we may not even have recognized at the time. As those present are enveloped in the power and love carried through the Holy Ghost, all will be bound together in an overwhelming love for our Father in Heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ. The honor and praise given to the Father and the Lamb will not be just a staged ceremony but an outpouring of love and gratitude.

The review of life to be seen at that time will probably be part of the judgment process as each of us will be allowed to clearly see for the first time what our life was really like. The description of the judgment of men described in Rev. 20: 11-13 has elements very similar to the gathering described in Rev. 4 and 5. All are gathered before the throne of God and the books are opened in both accounts.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Rev. 20: 11-12)

2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. (Rev. 5: 1-4)

At first, John weeps because no one is found worthy to open the book. But there stands forth one like a lamb as if it had been slain who takes the book. From the descriptions provided in these verses, it is clear that this is a representation of the Savior, Jesus Christ, who is both the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Lamb of God slain in order to redeem all mankind. And is it not appropriate that Jesus Christ, the Redeemer and Savior, is the one to open the seals? Just as he opened the seals of death and hell to free mankind, he can symbolically open the seals of the book to provide a history of mankind.

5 And one of the Elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. (Rev. 5: 5-7)

9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (Rev. 5: 9)

If one interprets the lamb to be Jesus Christ, and the one on the throne to be God the Father, it is apparent that they are distinct and separate entities, since the book is passed from the hand of one to the other. It would also appear that they are tangible beings since they are able to pass a tangible object between them. Passing the book with the seven seals to Christ would also be a symbolic confirmation that all judgment is given into the hands of Jesus Christ. Since men are to be judged out of the books, the one holding the book would logically be the one doing the judging.

An intriguing comparison is provided by these verses in the description of Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David and as a lamb as it had been slain. A similar duality can be seen in the life of Christ. He came the first time as a meek lamb to teach, set an example, and to be sacrificed for all mankind. When he comes again, it will be as King of kings and Lord of lords, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David. Isaiah describes well the treatment accorded the Savior while he lived upon the earth.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53: 3-5)

But Isaiah also points to another time.

21 …and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside me.

23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. (Isaiah 45: 21, 23)

Returning to the narrative of John, we see that the 24 elders fall down before the lamb and worship him. They are then joined in worship by the assembled host.

8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

10 And has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Rev. 5: 8-10)

The elders are shown with harps and vials full of the prayers of the saints. Harps can be symbolic of the honor and worship given to the Savior at this time and incense symbolic of the prayers and praise of the saints. The use of every kindred, tongue and people, and nations suggests that the 24 elders may be standing as representatives of all who have ever been redeemed and brought back to the presence of God by the atonement of Jesus Christ. If this usage were interpreted in its broadest sense, it could include the redeemed of all ages and peoples from the time of Adam to the end of the earth. This worship of the Savior is not limited to just the twenty-four elders.

11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the lamb for ever and ever. (Rev. 5: 11-13).

This reference might be considered to represent the heavenly host, the hosts of men who are to inherit the celestialized earth, and those who are found under condemnation, both men and devils. All, regardless of their standing or status, will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord and give glory and honor to the Father and the Son. The great judgment scene is the one point where this could happen.

A comparison of Rev. 5: 13 with Rev. 20: 13 shows that although the focus is different in the two verses, the imagery is strikingly similar, suggesting a relationship of the events. In Rev. 5: 13 all creatures in heaven, earth, under the earth, and in the sea give glory to God. In Rev. 20: 13 all men are delivered from death (the earth and sea) and from hell (under the earth) for judgment.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (Rev. 20: 13)

If there is to be a time when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior (Philip. 2: 10-11), this will be the time. This event would have to be at the great judgment scene, for it will only be then that all will be present before the Lord and able to present such honor to the Lord. Even those who are found not worthy to dwell in the presence of the Lord will at that time acknowledge that his judgments are just and that he is Lord and Savior, as indicated by honor given by those under the earth.

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2: 10-11)

It is unlikely that this is to occur at any point between the time of Adam and the coming of the Lord because there will be those fighting against the Lord up to the very end. It is also unlikely to happen until all who are to come to this earth as mortals have had that opportunity. Only those who have faced mortality, struggled, failed, and been found wanting will truly understand the majesty of the Savior’s sinless life. Only those who have failed, yet been saved through the atonement of the Savior will have hearts full of gratitude and honor for the Savior. This implies that the great gathering has to be at a time after the earth has completed its mission as a dwelling place and testing place for all the children of God who are to come upon it.

At the risk of belaboring the point, it may be instructive to consider the thoughts or reactions of both the righteous and unrighteous in regard to acknowledging the Savior. If we were to pick a very righteous, faithful person as an example, it would be difficult to pick a particular time when he would praise the Lord. This person probably praises the Lord and acknowledges Jesus as his Savior and Lord while living upon the earth, probably continues to do so after death while he is waiting for the resurrection, most certainly would be with those praising the Lord at the judgment, and would join those saints in heaven in praise of the Lord for ever. So praise from this person is not indicative of any particular time.

An extremely wicked person, on the other hand, probably ignored or felt bitterness toward the Lord while living on the earth, and would probably still have the same type of thoughts while waiting for the resurrection. We don’t know what the thoughts of this person might be following the judgment: humble and contrite, or bitter and angry. We don’t know clearly the state of the wicked prior to or following the judgment, but it is likely to be a state of darkness, of association with those of similar nature, and possibly even a condition subject in some degree to the influence of Satan. But for a period of time at the judgment, however brief, all will see things as they really are, and see themselves as they really are. At that time even the most wicked will acknowledge that God’s judgments are just and that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. This makes the great judgment the one and only place in history where Rev. 5: 13, which describes just such a scene, could occur.

A scripture from Daniel provides an additional link between the gathering described in Rev. 4 and 5 and the judgment described in Rev. 20.

9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as a burning fire.

10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. (Dan. 7: 9-10)

Daniel ties the ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of the great gathering (Rev. 5: 11) with the books of the final judgment (Rev. 20: 12). This provides support for the interpretation that the great gathering described in the fourth and fifth chapters of The Revelation is a representation of at least part of the great winding up scene at the judgment following the end of the earth. Jude, citing Enoch, provides a similar correlation between ten thousands of his saints and the judgment (Jude 1: 14-15). Both Jude and Daniel could be interpreted to mean the temporal judgment or destruction to fall upon the wicked at the return of the Lord in power and glory or a gathering prior to the return of the Lord, but the mention of the books provides a reasonable link to the final judgment scene.

The significance of an interpretation that John is seeing a part of the judgment scene is that the rest of the revelation given to John is a review or recounting of all events that have occurred upon the earth, and therefore includes events that transpired prior to John’s time as well as those events to transpire after the revelation was received. Note that the book is sealed with seven seals, one seal for each of the 7,000 years of the earth’s recorded temporal existence as a testing place for man from the time of Adam. As the seals are opened, the events of each period will be presented. The opening of the seals and the associated events are, therefore, a vision within a vision. We are watching a great assemblage as they in turn watch the events presented as the seals are opened.

A number of references to heavenly events are mentioned in the following chapters of John’s record. Those which present a multitude in an attitude of praising the Lord are flashbacks to this great gathering. Those which mention only angels pouring out plagues upon the earth are part of the ongoing series of events. In other words, some are scenes of the spectators watching the action, others are part of the action. Flashbacks to the great gathering initially described in Rev. 4 and 5 are found in Rev.7: 9-17 and Rev. 15: 2-4.

Chronological tables indicate that Adam lived approximately four thousand years before the time of Christ. We are now approximately two thousand years since the time of Christ, making a total of six thousand years to date. Adding one thousand years for the millennium would make a total of seven thousand years of biblical history. This would allow each seal to represent approximately 1000 years of time. The challenge comes in assigning the events described for the opening of each seal to portions of the earth’s history. There is so much history to choose from that it might be possible to place the events described by John into numerous historical settings. It might be most effective, however, to choose events that have demonstrated God’s relationship with his people, or perhaps events with a biblical setting or tradition.

The following sections compare each of the first five seals with an event or events from the corresponding 1000 year period. According to chronological tables the first seal, or first 1000 years, would represent the time from Adam to shortly before Noah. The second seal would represent the time from shortly before Noah to about the birth of Abraham. The third seal would represent the time from about the birth of Abraham to the days of David or Solomon. The fourth seal would represent the time from the days of Solomon to the birth of Christ. The fifth seal would represent the time from the birth of Christ to about 1000 AD. The splitting of the early Christian Church into two separate entities in 1052 would provide a good, although irrelevant, division point between the fifth and sixth seals. The sixth seal would represent the time from about 1000 AD to the great earthquake and signs in the heavens which should shortly follow our present time. The seventh seal would include the millennium and the events which usher in and close out the millennial period.

For those who are groaning because the thought of sitting through 7,000 years of history at the judgment sounds pretty boring, just think about the poor geologists in the next room who might have to sit through four and one half billion years of geologic history with no fast forward!

In summary, it would appear that the prophecy of John begins with a vision of a great assemblage following the completion of the earth’s temporal history. At that time all are gathered to give praise and glory unto God for his great plan of salvation and to the Savior for his great role in carrying out the atonement which was central to this great plan. A review of the earth’s history as recorded in the book to be opened by the Savior is shown to this great assemblage. This history would show to all the power and glory of God manifest in the lives of men upon the earth from the time of Adam unto the end of the earth.

On a personal level, every person may see woven in the tapestry of their own life the countless times the Lord has sustained and blessed them, including those invisible threads woven when the Lord sustained or blessed them with a hidden hand. As each views the deeds of their life, the desires of their hearts, and their relationship with God and man, they will know that their judgment is just. And many will know that it was through Jesus Christ that a spoiled and sometimes ruined life was turned into a thing of beauty.

Chapter 2

The First Five Seals are Opened

The First Seal Is Opened

1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. (Rev. 6: 1-2)

The first seal with its white horse and rider can be interpreted in both a spiritual and temporal manner. In the spiritual sense, this would represent the beginning of man upon the earth and the going forth of the word of God through Adam, Enoch and other prophets of God. Perhaps Enoch, who was taken from the earth because of his righteousness (Hebrews 11:5) would provide a good example of the going forth of the prophets of God with power and authority.

In a temporal sense, this would represent the going forth of man to subjugate the earth and the beginning of what would become the kingdoms of the earth. The bow would represent power and the crown would represent dominion.

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Gen. 1: 26)

The first seal would represent the fulfillment of God’s charge for man to subdue and have dominion over the earth and the living things thereon.

The Second Seal Is Opened

3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. (Rev. 6: 3-4)

The second seal with its red horse of war could represent both the time of Noah and the period following the construction of the Tower of Babel. These periods might both appropriately be represented as a time of war although the time of Noah would provide the best fit. Men became so wicked in the time of Noah that they were destroyed from off the face of the earth by a flood. Part of this wickedness can be attributed to fighting and contention.

11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. (Gen. 6: 11, 13)

Violence was presented by the Lord as one of the prime reasons for the destruction of the inhabitants of the earth at the time of Noah. This era would therefore qualify as a time when peace was taken away, and the period of earth’s history best represented by the red horse. At no other time were men so wicked and violent that the Lord had to destroy them all from the face of the earth.

It is also possible to speculate that following the division of the people into small groups with different languages at the time of the tower of Babel, wars in the sense of clan against clan or group against group would have proliferated. Lack of understanding would have bred mistrust and contention between the clans which would have in turn precipitated many small wars.

The Third Seal Is Opened

5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. (Rev. 6: 5-6)

Moving to the period of time represented by the third seal, it is necessary to determine the meaning of the black horse and balances. This should be representative of some event or events between approximately the birth of Abraham and the kingdom of Solomon. The references to wheat and barley quickly bring forth the story of Joseph in Egypt and the storing up of grain during the seven good years for the time when it would be needed during the seven years of famine. The calling forth of Joseph at this time to administer the gathering and distribution of the grain would be represented by the balances. For those who consider this seal to represent famine, there could hardly be a better example of famine than the great famine in the days of Joseph which eventually resulted in Israel moving into Egypt.

For those of us who have been in a U.S. courthouse and have seen a statue or other representation